Shaft-log.



J. H. WATTS & F. D. BROWN.

SHAFT LOG.

APPLICATION FILED mAa.11.1911.

Patented June 18, 1918.

jaw/ma 'NIT STATES FASN OFFICE.

JOHN H. WATTS AND FRANK D. BROWN, OF HAVANA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS T0 EZRA J'. LIST, OF HAVANA, ILLINOIS.

SHAFT-LOG.

Application filed March 17, 1917.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that JoiiN H. VA'rTs and FRANK D. BnowN, citizens of the United States, residing at Havana, in the county of Mason and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Logs; and they do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and enact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in lthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in 'that form of device secured in the bottom of a boat provided for receiving and housing the propeller shaft and known as a shaftlog.

Various methods of carrying and housing said propeller shaft have been used but those of which we are aware are unsatisfactory, permitting little or no adjustments and preventing ready adj ustability to the angle occupied by the engine and propeller shafts.

An object of our invention in view of the above is to construct a shaft-log which will practically adjust itself, o r that can be aidjusted to any angle of inclination the shafts may take in installing the engine.

Another object is to construct a metal shaft-log to tightly cover that portion of the boat having the usual opening through which the propeller shaft extends, the same including a part seated thereon in an absolutely water-tight manner and adapted for a wide range of adjustment and which also includes a bearing for said propeller shaft.

Another object is to provide a shaft-log of two parts having complementary curved surfaces, one to receive the other, one of said parts including a bearing for the propeller shaft, the adjustment of the two complementary parts relatively providing :t'or any desired degree of inclination of the propeller shaft, all of which will be understood from the following specification, aided by the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the bottom of a boat, showing an engine and our invention mounted thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of our invention much enlarged, showing parts in section.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 18, 1918.

Serial No. 155,592.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of part of the invention shown in Fig. L).

Fig. l is an end elevation of one of the parts showing a shaft and surrounding tube or pipe for the same in cross section; and,

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of one of the other parts shown in Fig. 3, certain other parts being in section.

A indicates the bottom of a boat. B is indicative of an engine, C its shaft, D the propeller shaft, and E thc propeller.

Our invention used in connection with the described parts includes, in combination, a hollow housing F provided with a marginal flange (z which may be clamped upon the boat-bottom over the openino H in the latter through which the propeller shaft D eX* tends, there being a gasket J of any suitable material beneath said flange to foim a Water-tight joint.

This housing is largest at its forward end and preferably tapers toward the rear, following the general direction of the shaft which it yis to accommodate. Said forward end of the housing has a wall K whose outer or forward side is inwardly cylindrically curved to receive a correspondingly curved part N of a bearing L provided with any usual or approved type of stuffing-box M for the shaft D, there being interposed between the. two curved surfaces a suitable gasket O. In addition, the wall K is provided with an opening P through which the propeller shaft extends, it being preferable to inclose the shaft in a pipe Q secured at one end in the curved extension N substantially as shown in Fig. 3.

Said pipe extends through the opening H in the bottom of the boat and may be threaded or otherwise held within a bearing R for the propeller shaft carried in a bracket S secured to and dependingfrom the bottom of the boat.

T T represent two slots in the extension N one at each side of the opening P through each of which extends a set screw U engaging in tln'eaded holes V in the wall K of the housing F.

The relation olf' the slots to the described parts is such that when the set screws are Witheet less @f C011.Silesbie time when the,

ordinary ii'ieth'dds are employed, the final result being unsatisfactory. Herein lies the advantage of our invention. The engine shaft. may assume any angle in a vertical Y plane and the parts of the shaft-log can be accommodated Lto it.

Thehousing Finay be secured in position upon the boat-bottom and the set screws, U left. loose. The engine may then be set Where desired at any height or angle so long as the axis of rotation of its shaft lies centrally of the boat. and as long also 'that said axis passes through the point from Which the cylindrically curved Wall K of vso the housing lis described. The set screws upon being tightened Will secure the bearing'at theproper angle. Or, theengineinay first beset, its shaft and the propeller shaft.

placed in alinenient'; then the 'housing may belsecured 'inposition and in` thus placing i-t,`itwillreadily accommodate itself to the existing conditions. By leaving the set screws loose so that the bearing vmay turn "relatively tothe housing, the flange Gr kcan be 'securedtb the boat 'and all 'firmly secured iin a comparatively short jtime and `a first class lvvorlnnan-lilrefjob is theresult.f

'The brolien line, in 1, indicates one of yia'lniiinloer''of'jangles,the engine shaftfand the propeller rvshaft "may occupy, it being observedthat theaxes of'Tthe shaftsmust alextend thro'ughfthe pointfrom whichA thesaidzcurved vvall 'K is described. 4

VThe Vofiic'eofthe pipe Q, is to cover the propellerfshfaft so th'atneither moss i'iork Weeds Will Wrap upon. the shaft and stall the'engine, This", however,may or may not be'used; accordin'g'to' desire.

If-'desired the relationofthe curved `sur-` faces of the parts Kand Nlmay be" reserved. Thaitistojsav'the 'part N-niay be recessed andl thefpart'Kioutvvardly curved, 'or other forins'may be used 'equivalent thereto, but

"thisalllies Within the meaning of our inventi'on., Y p v Our device has the 'advantagethat the partiincludi'ngthe bearing N- can be pernianentlyfsecured to 'the housing F and thereforefafter`V the shaft has' been? properly alined it is more firnily'vheldthain' bythe structures ofvvhich yWe are familiar. Ll3nt niore'iniiportaiitis' the fact that 'in vinstalling thel mechanism 'the shaft- D having been placed in the bearing can be lined up With the predetermined position for the axes of rotation of' the propeller and engine-shaft after which, by tightening the set screws U `or their equivalents, the shaft is maintained ystationary While the bearing S and the engine shaft are being lined up With it.

The vcurved 'Wall of the-housing F- iii-'be ing cylindricallycurved by describing said curvefroni an axis lying perpendicular to a vertical plane. lying parallel to the axis of tl'ieshaftLwill permit the said shaft to move 'only ina -vertical plane, and no side-strains canbe imposed upon said shaft to bind it in its bearings.

Having thus described our invention, We claim:

1. lnvcombination With a propeller shaft, ashaftvlog permanently mounted through Whichthe sha-ft extends, said loghaving a cylindrically curved end Wall forming ya re,- cess, the curveof the said Wall being described 'by rotatinga -lineabout an axis lying perpendicular yto a vertical plane, itself lying.

parallel to the axis ,of yrotation of said-shaft, a bearing for the shaft having a surface complementary to the ysaidcuwed Wall and seatedupon said Wall, and means to secure the bearing and log in fixed relation.

2. A shaft-logincluding in itsv construcaboat, a partadjustable relatively thereto, one of said parts having a curved surface, the other 'having a surface `formed complementary thereto andl'adapted to seat'the'reon,

and means engaging .those portions, of said parts having said surfaces for securingrthe.

said partsin connected relation.

3. A shaft-'log including in its construction, aparttobe secured rigidlyito aiidupon the bottom offandin'side aboat, a partvadjustably mountd on thelsame including a shaft bearing, and a tubular 'member secured at one end 'in the second named-part concentricallytothe axis ofthe bore of said bearing and extendingthrough the saidb'ot-y tom of the boat.

t. In combination, a housing secured -to the bottom 'of `a boat and open `at 'one end,the said open e'ndh'aving a curved surface regular iii form, afpart having a`| curved 'surface complementary. thereto seated `upon "said open endand 'includinga bearing, vapropeller ishaftl 'carried iin the bearing and "extending' through;thehousing, ineans directly engaging both the described? portions for securing' them together, and a tubular member secured in" the said :part and extending in- Ward 'through' said housing 4and inclosing said shaft.

5. Ashaftlogincluding inits construction'av part2 to be secured upon the bottom' of a boat having a T cyliii'drically curved surfa'ce, apait' havinga surface'complement-ary thereto, "one of the saidfpartsfbeing slotted,1

tion a part to be secured upon the bottoinof 1 and a member eXtending through the Slot and adjustable in the other part adapted to secure both parts in rigid relation.

6. A shaft-log including in its construction a part to be secured upon the bottom of a boat having a cylindrically curved surface, a part having a surface formed complementary thereto, a shaft bearing carried by the second named part, one of said parts being slotted, and a lnember extending through the slot and adjustable in the other part adapted to secure both parts in rigid relation.

7. A shaftdcg including in its construction a part to be secured upon the bottom of a boat having a cylindrically curved surface, a part having a surface formed complementary thereto, a gasket interposed between the two surfaces, a shaft bearing carried by the second named part, one of said parts being slotted, and a member extending through the slot and adjustable in the other part adapted to secure both parts in rigid relation.

8. As an article of manufacture, a part having an open lower side to be secured upon the bottom of a boat, said part having a cylindrically curved wall at one end, there being an opening in said wall, a second part also having a curved Wall complementary to the rst and seated thereon including a shaft bearing, the said second part being adjustable relatively to the irst, means mounted on the parts to secure them relatively, and a tubular member secured in the said second part and extending through the described opening and through the first named part and its open lower Side.

9. As an article of manufacture, a long hollow tapering member open along one side, and including an end Wall having an opening connnunicating with the cavity of the member, said end presenting a broad cylindrically curved surface, a part having a curved surface complementary to the first and including al bearing for a shaft, and clamping means engaging both the described portions for clamping them rigidlyr together.

l0. As an article of manufacture, a long hollow tapering member open along one side, and including an end wall having an opening communicating with the cavity of the member, said end presenting a. broad cylindrically curved surface, a part having a curved surface complementary to the first and including a bearing for a shaft, clamping means engaging both the described portions for clamping them rigidly together, and a tubular member secured in said part, the same extending through the described opening of said end wall into the tapering member and through its open side.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. VVA-TTS. FRANK D. BROWN.

Witnesses:

WM. F. RYAN, H. G. STRUMrrEn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents eachx by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

